Comedy Free Kick Sees Latics Out The Cup

Wigan Athletic went out of the FA Cup last night when Ivan Klasnic fired home the games only goal from 18 yards following a comedy few moments of Latics play.

With Bolton in the ascendancy and just having a goal ruled out for off-side Latics were awarded a free-kick deep in their own half, rather than take a bit of sting out the game Stam took a quick free-kick and played a short ball to McArthur who was under pressure from two Bolton players.

Mark Davies simply took the ball off McArthur, fed Klasnic who fired home first time.

Nine changes from the weekend saw the Latics looking very disjointed from the off, lots of huff and puff but little to no quality in the play, especially in the final third, just one shot on target in 90 minutes emphasises this.

Bolton could have gone ahead early in the game Mike Pollitt saving well at the feet of Klasnic only for the ball to spill to Johan Elmander who fired home, but the Sweden international was in an off-side position and the goal was ruled out.

Klasnic hit the inside of the post from a free-kick and Mike Pollitt made a tremendous one handed save from Petrov as Bolton dominated first half proceedings.

Latics striker Callum McManaman had to leave the field on 40 minutes after taking a nasty blow to the head that left youngster with blood streaming down his face, Victor Moses came on to replace McManaman.

The second half saw Bolton look threatening once again though Moses did have the first chance but fired wide into the side-netting when going for the near post, across goal might have been the better option.

Bolton thought they had taken the lead when Elmander knocked home a Petrov cross but the linesmans flag was raised for off-side, it mattered not because less than 30 seconds later they were in front when the comedy free-kick gifted possession to Bolton.

With 25 minutes remaining you`d have thought that the Latics would have lifted their game in what is billed the worlds greatest cup competition, but with just a Gomez effort that hit the bar to show that raise never came.

It is quite obvious that the FA cup means absolutely nothing to the club this season, just a game that allows the management to give some of the squad players a run out, hardly any surprise that the fans can`t be motivated to attend either, it`s a crying shame that the FA cup has turned into this shambles.

Mike Pollitt

Good display from the evergreen keeper Latics: Pollitt; Lopez, G. Caldwell, S. Caldwell, Stam; Thomas, McArthur, Diame; Gomez, Di Santo, McManaman (Moses, 43)

Subs: Kirkland, McCarthy, Watson, Golobart, Mustoe, Redmond

Bolton: Bogdan; Ricketts (Alonso, 58), Cahill, Wheater, Robinson; Lee, Muamba (Cohen, 90), M. Davies, Petrov; Elmander, Klasnic (K. Davies, 85)

Subs: Lainton, Taylor, Moreno, Blake

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